The neonatal resuscitation team must be fully prepared to intervene at every birth. Before the baby is born, the resuscitation team leader and the mother’s obstetrician must exchange information regarding the mother’s perinatal history. The team looks for risk factors that increase the chance that the baby’s transition from fetal circulation to extrauterine circulation will be difficult. This information helps the team anticipate the need for intervention at the delivery. 

Common perinatal risk factors that increase the likelihood the baby will need resuscitation include:

Perinatal Risk Factors Increasing the Likelihood of Neonatal Resuscitation